Broccoli has always been my favorite vegetable.I can toss it into a cheese omelet, a lemon chicken dish, or sautéitin a stir fryand never get tired of it. The crunchy green is so versatile! It addsgreat textureand nutrition to any dish. However, I recently realized thatI’vebeenmissing out onan important part of the vegetable: the broccoli stems.
Broccoli stems havejust as much nutritional value as theflowery head.That includes fiber, calcium, magnesium,animpressive amount of potassium, and even a little protein.They can alsolower your risk of heart disease.However, many of us don’t enjoy thestemsbecause they’re tough to chew, and maybe not as fun to eat as the crown. If you don’t want to waste them, check out these delicious recipe ideas.You’ll never want to go back to throwing out your broccoli stems!
Chop, season, and roast.
If you’re looking for an easy side dish, this hearty,roasted broccoli stem recipefrom mom and chef Shannon Grinnan is for you.Grinnan begins by rinsing fresh, large heads of broccoli and chopping off the stems. Then, she peels each stem with a typical vegetable peeler andslicestheminto flat, penny-like chunks.
After tossing thesliced stems into a bowl, Grinnan adds a little olive oil and seasoning.(We recommend a blend of sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese.) She spreads the chunks on a sheet pan and bakes them in the oven. For a tender interior and a golden-brown color, try roasting the stems for about10 minutes per sideat 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss them in a little lemon juice to finish.
Bonus tip: If you are also baking the florets in the same style,bake them on a separate sheet. The florets will cook much more quickly than the stems.
Sautéthem in a mixedvegetable dish.
I was cravinga broccoliandcauliflower side dishthe other day, so I decided it was the perfect time toput broccoli stems to the test. I took the largestalks and lightly peeled the outside to remove any woody pieces. Then, I took a chef knife and chopped the stems into bite-sized pieces.
I added chopped garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, and a bag of riced cauliflower to a wide pan. Then, I tossed in the stems and the florets. Not wanting to waste,I chopped up the broccoli leaves and added those, too! (They have a mild, slightly bitter taste and hold up well when cooked.) I let the vegetables sauté until theysoftened,and the garlic became a little crispy.That was it.
I like the stems to be a little crunchier, but if you want them to really soften, add them to the pan first with the garlic and olive oil. Let them sit on medium to low heat before tossing in the riced cauliflower, broccoli leaves, and florets.
Blend thestemsand addthemto rice.
Blending your broccoli stems into rice is an excellent way to disguise them.After cooking up some rice using the stovetop or a rice cooker, chop off the stems as usual and peel the outside layer. Cut them into slightly smaller chunks, then toss them into a blender. Pulse the blenderuntil the greens resemble rice. Mix them into your riceand enjoy your healthy carb side dish!
If you like, you can go on to makehealthy fried riceby adding scrambled eggs, peas,shredded carrots, garlic,grated ginger,rice vinegar, and low-sodium soy sauce.
Tosschopped stemsinto soup.
Softer vegetables like spinach havethe tendency to go mushy and don’t work well in soup, but the opposite is true with broccoli stems.These veggies are the perfect addition to soup because they hold their shape.
To make a vegetable soup with broccoli stems, simply peel off the outer layer and prepare them any way you like. Chop them into bite-sized pieces if you want them to resemblecarrots oruse a blender to give them a much finer texture.To make sure they soften, try sautéing them first at the bottom of the pan with other tough vegetables – like carrots and celery – before you add in any other soup fixings. Picky eaters will barely notice the addition of broccoli!
Create crunchy broccoli slaw.
Broccoli stems are perfect for a crisp, crunchy slaw.After peeling them,Martha Stewart suggestsusingamandolineto slice them intoflatplanks.Then, stack all the planks and slice them into thin strips tocreate thefamous julienned cut.If you don’t have amandolineslicer, you can carefullycut the stems into planksusing a chef knife.Stack the planks and slice them intothinmatchsticks.Use a similar method to cutup carrotsorsimplyshred them in a blender.
For a zesty, dairy-free slaw, try outaNew York Timesrecipe, which features red bell pepper, cilantro, fresh ginger, and black sesame seeds. Oruse Martha Stewart’s easy mix of mayo, olive oil, lemon juice,Dijonmustard, celery, and Granny Smith apple.
Slice broccolistem“chips”for dip.
Ready for the easiest recipe yet? Use those broccoli stems to create the perfect chips for dip. Peel them as usual, then slice them on a slant into thin, flat “chips.” (No cooking required! They’re easy to chew.) Pair with your favorite ranch, blue cheese, vegetable dip, or onion dip and serve as an appetizer. It’s low-carb andreduces your food waste, making it a win-win.(Click through to see how working more broccoli into your diet reduces the risk of fibroids after menopause.)
